This past Saturday, we attended two children’s birthday parties. We have been invited to at least one party every weekend this month. For those of you that don’t have kids, do not be under the false assumption that we are very popular. When you are a parent of school-age children, it is just part of the job description. Sometimes these parties are great, sometimes they are not. But they are always thrilling for our kids and we are always honored to celebrate a special moment in a friend’s life.

So far, we have only hosted one birthday party that included more than family for any of our four kids. We are attempting to institute a 5, 10, 16 year old plan for big birthday parties. Time will tell if we stick to that proposal.

In the meantime, we will enjoy entertaining our kids by celebrating other kid’s birthdays. The cake, the presents, the games, the entertaining locations; free food, fun, entertainment, and time with friends, for both the kids and for us; it all makes for a pleasant way to spend some weekend time.

All of these parties also allows my kids the opportunity to do a lot of things that they do not normally get to experience. At birthday parties, we have been to several farms, where we held chickens, rode horses, and got to take home freshly laid eggs, played laser tag, had gymnastics lessons, karate lessons, enjoyed bounce houses, many different pools, parks, and friend’s backyards, just to name a few.

Having kids can help you and hurt you when making friends. At birthday parties, you have as many new friends as you choose to talk to, at least for the several hours of the engagement. You are in it together, to have fun, to eat, to help your children with the new activities, to socialize, and to survive. It can be overwhelming and exhausting, but as with so many aspects of having children, it is a simple, short-lived joy. Twenty years from now, I might not miss navigating the crowds at Chuck E. Cheese, but I will miss seeing the overwhelming joy on my child’s face from a simple cupcake and goodie bag.